Magazine



May 27, 1947. CANTLEY I 2,421,052

MAGAZINE Filed Oct. 19, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 [720612 for i Joseph CCdnHez G E y 1 y May 27, 1947. J c, cAN/TLEY 2,421,052

MAGAZINE Filed 001;. 19, 1944 e Sheets-She et 2 Inventor Joseph Q Can ZZey y Home May 27, 1947. c 'CANTLEY 2,421,052

' MAGAZINE Filed Oqt. 19, 1944 Y e sheet-sheet 3 Jess oh CCdnHel 31 h '6 Attorney y 7, 1947 J. c. CANTLEY 2,421,052

MAGAZINE Filed Oct. 19, .1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 27, 1947. J. c. CANTLEY I 2,421,052

MAGAZINE Filed 00519, 194.4 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 1e \Ba p/rOCantle-y May 27, 1947. J. c. CANTLEY MAGAZ INE Filed Oct. 19, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Inventor Jase oh (lcantley Patented May 27, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE Joseph C. Cantley, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application October 19, 1944, Serial No. 559,450

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to magazines for supporting articles to be released from aircraft, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a flare magazine, although it will be understood that the magazine may be employed to carry other articles such as bombs or the like which are to be released when desired from the magazine.

An object of the invention is to provide a magazine in which a plurality of flares and the like are supported therein and in which improved mechanism is provided for causing release of the flares from the magazine rapidly in a predetermined sequence.

To this end, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the flares are supported within the magazine in horizontal superposed relation by a plurality of flare-supporting arms which are urged by springs to retracted positions and are held in operative positions by latches associated with the supporting arms and released by a vertically movable bar. To reduce the frictional resistance of the bar to movement and accordingly the power required for releasing the flares from the container, the latches are nor-' mally held in operative positions by individual vertically movable blocks which are successively lifted in response to successive movements of the bar by shoulders formed on the bar and engageable successively with the blocks. By this arrangement slidable movement between only one block and a latch occurs at one time during the provision is made to insure the opening of the doors upon release of the lowermost flares. This is accomplished in accordance with another feature of the invention by provision of springpressed arms engaged with the upper surface of these flares, these arms acting to force the flares downwardly when the associated supporting arms are released whereupon the flares will strike the doors with sufficient impact to insure their opening.

p In order to prevent movement or vibration oi the flares within the magazine while they are retained therein by their supporting arms, other members engageable with the upper surfaces of the flares are provided for holding the flares securely in contact with the supporting arms. Provision is made for retracting these flare-engaging members to permit loading of the flares within the container.

The above and other features of ths invention, including various novel combinations of parts and details of construction, will now be described in connection with the drawings and pointed out in the claims. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through one form of flare container embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a right end elevation of the container;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the right end of the container;

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section of a portion of the mechanism permitting release of the container from the airplane;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through that portion of the mechanism, mounted on the right end of the container, by which the flares are released;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the latch release bar by which the flare supports are retracted, the bar being shown in its initial position with the container fully loaded;

Fig. '7 is a similar view with the latch bar raised suiflciently to release the two lowermost flares;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation illustrating a pair of flare-supporting arms in operative positions and sociated mechanism with the arm in supporting position, and

Fig. 10 is a similar view with the temporary supporting armretracted and the flare being held by the regular supporting arm.

The magazine is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 as comprising a cylindrical container Ill having end plates l2 (only one of which is shown) and two sets of doors [4, IS in the under side thereof. These doors are hinged at I8, 20 and are normally maintained in closed positions by springs 22 (Fig. 2) but open upon impact therewith by a flare F to permit egress of the flare from the magazine. Secured to the upper portion of the container are brackets 24, 28, the first of which may be utilized to support the magazine from the bomb rack or shackle in the bomb bay of an airplane with the longitudinal axis of the container inclined at 45 to the vertical. The bracket 2% permits the magazine to be suspended vertically from the wing of an airplane. Circular flanges 28 (Fig. 1) project outwardly from opposite ends of the magazine to permit the attachment of nose and tail fairings 29, when the magazine is suspended from the. wing. thereby to minimize; air resistance.

The container is reinforced by longitudinally extended struts 36 (Fig. 3) in the sides thereof; a strut 32 along the top and a strut 34 in the bot-W tom. Secured to the struts 39 are vertical bars" 36 forming the outer walls ofja Dfiil' fiffflSJQfiQIll; I partments. A central wall or partit on:fifiidiwidesm l5; the container and completes the compartments for the flares. As illustrated,injlig, 3 each com partment is designed to hold three flares in superposed relation but it will be understood ethatthe magazine maybe designed to contain any desired umber; h r ei: sw naa l o the co t e ee i isafiflz n helow r r o -t e marsh-wh sk n a iy rdsj mth a s e rist.- ends: f; hey ali ards n i hoks i whereupo he: nyards, a o

2.5 when the flares drop fromth e; container, thus efie cting a properfunctioning; of, the,,flares..

For: holding the; flares within the v container 7 stson a pair of, spacedsupporting h h ar pinned to-shafts ifi journaled 3;)

art tion Sil As noted-in Fig. 3, six sugh sl i afts; re providfid each oi carries .llP .9 ties 1 13 .53 $0 1 of fi These sup-porting arms are urged out of engages.

With-the fiares into the confines of the .par- .'...l..,33i asiindie ted ti he w r-n r p i 8, by torsion springs iiixFig 1) secured between. e-sha t eec h P P n n- 3s F r-. ina supportingarrn in engagement with .the flaresv against the action oi ethese springs each of, the. 4d shaiits lfir carri es a latch 52 (Figs. 1, 6. and-7'), these latches having at; their lower. end angular egitensions- 5Aengageablewith members which act to lock the shafts 46 in positions with the fiarer. supporting armslin engagement with the fiares. 45., The emembers nclude al j ch ease ba ii er ticall y slidab-le in a, p ost 58 in. the. central partition 38, and vertically,m oyablerblocksfill. These, blocks; are; slidably- ;h el'd,betvv,e en the latch rel ase bar iifi and the. irlterioroithe postfifi-rand with 50, the container fully loaded these blocks rest on pins}; kin which pQSiiiions they are heldlby spring p r e edadeientsfiii Itw li e oi dia i sl l n 7 l hatefiue 2-. h seloc s i -m re p ovided, the. siggth latch liz being ;held .outwardly by, the lower 55 portion of the latch release bar 5 6.,itself The latchg releasez bar is-providedwith steps: 661 50 nar st i-thei s ksr fi ucce v r fl on o c 1e;of;the post-rand then on .the, other starting with the lowermost block. Thusias the. 10 latch; release bar is progressively raised the tQi 3, .at; he .i weri i ht and ppr oain i 6 and 7, will.first-,be;released whereupon one of he-e qwcrmo a r efine ro sr m ha i th rupwardmovement,the loive f as; ndicat i N n-the ppsita deei r v... I per r pping; the. other lowermost w i Asgl heslat l rele e;bar;;5 6;continues.its pward movement-z y me nism; c i 0 heneinaitera e escr hedrthe I QC 0= ft e d dlelpairarel succ si lyyr ised nte i hw uppermostcblo ks; are uccessi ely mi fit-v r mploying blocksiseparete r rcmvthca a ch re e se bar, 3 5;gonly-. one v;bl oclgis raised. a time there; 7b

4 being relative movement between only one latch and its block at a time and the frictional resistance to the upward movement of the latch release bar 56 is considerably less than if the blocks were made integral portions of the latch release bar, so that the force required to release the flares is minimized. As shown in Fig. 8, the lower surfaces of-theblocksfiii are'inclined so'thatras soon as each block has-been raised :touclear theportion 54 of the latch 52, the latch is free to move in stantly into retracted position under the influence of spring 50. The center post is recessed at 68 to accommodate the latches when in their released ppsit-ions. For lifting the latch release bar fifiilstep-lbyr-step, successively to release the flares, the-mechanism shown in rg. 5 is employed. The upper endof.v the. latch release bar is connected by a cable laliFig. 1) passing over a pulley l2 carriedibya block l' secured to the upper strut 32 and thence over a second pulley 1'5 (Fig, 2)

carriedbyka bracket 73,- secured to -.the, right,end

Th ut r-.- n s. of--- he a l is cpm lected rto ayertically slidablegackbar 85, guided for movement, in a {support 82, secured ,to.

a -v ckinerawl 86.

bore-formed in; then-leper portion or the support 82, and a spring acts between thQP-awl .86 and.

h pp t to Hr otheJ Q-W into lockingiengagement= witn theracli. ar. For moving therack barrdownwardlyinastep,by step manner, thereby. to cause,successiverelease ofthe flares froznrthel container a ,pawl .92..is proyidcd; engagea le ith,

the teeth; at ;th e opposite, side of the,,rack. bjar f ml he ocking. pawl .85.. The pawl 92 .is.Ca,I1i@d. ye-pin; 4sslidab1 ina ,casingflfi mounted. at. the .upper end or. a .vertically slidable. bar 9.8;1in,

theauppo tfl he-p wl 2l s,.n,orm3. y maintained in engagement with. .the rack ,bar, 83, by a. spring 7 lfllLactin-g; between, the, casing 961 and, the -pawlfizr The low-er end of the bar,98,is conted. ra-pin. 1 .300 one ndotanl ver we the otherend-of 'which is pivoted .at ,l O.l5-, to the lower portion -oft the support 82; The armature of.ja

solenoid! ilfigcarried by the endwalll l2 is pivo'tally onn edt. I M an n ermed t porti n. .01

the leyeiz} I94. sojthat upon ener'gization oijthfe solenoid the outerend of the lever. I 84 IisVmOYed downwardly thus moving the bar 98 "and the pawl 92,,down ward1y, the. motion or the pawlfb'eing tran mittedh thembat ll t-Wi11.; en ted. hat-w emur i r t e t are med-at g pppsite. des .-0 hea k b l mithe downward movement oi ,-1theuaw1 92 is ufficient tofindexthc. ack ar. ne tep o unt Lt lock neram tfij n as IB nex x oo h the eon, Upondeenersiza ioni fthe. solenoid, l lifi th p awltfl is returnedto. the posi-,

engage th next uppermostltooth on therack bar upon nother .energization 1 th olenoid.

The supporting arms 7. 44,, hold ,the ,fiares, E in ngagem nt. with th lverticai barsfifi j i t e outer o -t acompartments DILB QFi tiQ Y E-j per nee e. fla e against vibration n' th con: ain rthe ppermostflares are he d f nen a ee ment with-screws .1 4B JFig, 3) v t readed. through the upper strut 32. Springs l42; between thie tr t-amin headoithescrewsl mra t t ainain thei cr-ew m he n ope ly adju t d i qsir. tions; heimidd gflpair, ifiaresi s;h l fw. he

'The latch release ban is normally-held inzits lowermost position,by.a-

ThiSlOC'kin pawliscarried. at the; end of aipin 8.8 horizontally slidable.,,in,,a

supporting arms in engagement with the articulated ends I44 of arms I46 secured to and depending inwardly and downwardly from shafts I48 journaled in the end walls of the container. Two sets of arms are provided for each of the center flares, the arms beingheld normally against pins I50 carried by the vertical bars 36 by torsion springs I52 surrounding the shafts I48 and acting between the arms and the upper side strut 30. In order to adjust the position of the arms I46 within the container so that the flares will be properly supported'therein, the ends of the supporting shafts I48 by which they are carried by the end walls are eccentrically disposed and carry handles I53 (Fig. 2) by which the shafts may be turned thereby toshift the positions of the shafts and accordingly the arms I46. The handles I53 are maintained in adjusted positions by detents I54 carried by arms I56 and engageable with recesses formed in the inner surface of the handles.

In order to permit loading of the container the arms I46 must be retracted so that the uppermost flares may be positioned within the container. For'this purpose arms I60 carried by the shafts I62 engage pins I64 carried by the arms I46so that uponturning of the shaft I62 in directions to move the upper endsof the arms I60 upwardly, the arms by their engagement with the pins I64 move the arms I46 into retracted positions. The shafts I 62 carry handles I66 secured to the shafts outwardly of the right end wall I2 by which the shafts may be moved manually. Detents carried by the handles I66 engage recesses I68 in the end wall I2 thereby to hold the shafts I62 in either of two positions. It will be apparent that during release of the flares the arms I46 will swing inwardly upon release of the uppermost flares upon impact of the flares with the arms so as not to impede the movement of the flares.

The lowermost flares are each engaged by two sets of arms I16. carried by shafts I12 and I14 carried respectively by the center partition 38 and the outer walls of the flare compartment. Torsion springs I16 act on the shafts I12, I14 to urge the arms I downwardly thereby to force the lowermost flare outwardly of the container upon withdrawal of their supporting arms 44. Thus an impulse, inaddition to that imparted to the flares by the force of gravity, is effective to insure that the doors I4, I6 at the bottom ofthe container will open against the force of the springs 22 upon release of the bottom flares; No such additional impulse is imparted to the other flares when they are released inasmuch as they will fall far enough within the container and engage the doors I4; I6 with suiiicient impact to insure that the doors will open. In loading the container, after the top four flares have been loaded, the shafts I12, I14 are rotated in directions to hold the arms upwardly and are temporarily locked in these posi tions. For thus locking the shafts in these positions during loading of the container arms I18 (Fig. 2) are secured to the outer ends of the shafts and to these arms are pivoted arms I80 having recessed ends I 82 arranged to receive pins I84 when the arms I18 are swung upwardly. At the completion of the loading operation the arms I80 are removed from the pins I84 whereupon the torsion springs are effective to force the arms I10 firmly into engagement with the top surfaces of the lowermost flares.

. For supporting the flares Within the container during the loading operation during which time itwill be understood that .the supporting arms 6 44 are in inoperative positions within the confines of the center partition 38, temporary supporting arms I86 are provided. These arms are pivoted to the center partition and are urged into operative positions as illustrated in Fig. 9 by springs I88 acting between the arms and the supporting structure. During operation of the container the arms I86 are held in retracted positions as shown in Fig. 10 by blocks I 90 carried by cables I92 and engageable with angular extensions I94 formed at the inner ends of the arms I86. These cables I92, of which only one is shown in Fig. 1 pass over pulleys I96 (Fig. 3) carried by the lower strut to pulleys I90 Fig. 1) carried by a bracket 200 7 extending outwardly of the end wall I2. Also carried by the bracket 200 is a bracket 262 comprising a pair of spaced walls forming between them:

a slot to receive a bar 204 carried by a handle 206. When the handle is turned through 90 from the position shown in Fig. 1 it may move upwardly with respect to the bracket 202. With the handle in the position shown, the bar 204 rests on the outer ends of the walls of the bracket 202. The cable is attached to the inner end of the handle 266. At its upper end the cable extends over a pulley 268 to a rod 2I0 supported by a bracket 2I2 and the end wall I2 of the container. The rod is urged toward the right as viewed in Fig. l by a spring 244 acting between-the bracket 2|2 and a collar 2I6 carried by the rod thereby to move the cable I92 upwardly when permitted by turning of the handle 206 from the position shown. This movement of the cable releases the temporary supporting arms I86 by carrying the blocks I96 out of engagement'with the portions I94'of the arms I86 whereby the arms are moved outwardly by the springs I88 into positions to support the flares as they are loaded. It will beobvious that the arms are movable inwardly to permit passage of the flares as they are loaded into the container.

The rod 2I0 connected to the upper end of the cable I92 is connected at its outer end to a bar 2 I8 which is in turn connected through a pin and slot connection 220 (Fig, 5) to a lever 222 pivoted at 224 to an upwardly extending portion 226 of the support 82. The lever 222 carries a latch 228 the function of which is to release the pawl 92 at the proper time during the loading of the container. Thelatch 228 is pivoted at 230 to the lower end of the lever 222 and the outer end of the latch is normally urged downwardly by a spring 232 acting between the latch and the lever. During release of the flares from the container, the latch 228 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 but is moved into the position shown in Fig. 5 under the action of the spring 2 I4 in moving the rod 2I0 to the right during upward movement of the cable I92 to permit movement of the temporary supporting arms into their operative positions. The lever 222 is connected by a link 284 to an arm 236 pivoted at 238 to the bracket 18 and depending therefrom. To the lower end of the arm 236 is pivoted a latch 240 urged by a spring 242 into the position shown in Fig. 5 with respect to the arm 236. This arm and the latch carried thereby are in the positions shown in Fig. 1 during normal operations of the magazine but the lever 222 moves the latch 228 into the position shown in Fig. 5 which acts through its connection 234 to move the arm 236 and latch 24'0 likewise into the positions shown in Fig. 5. The latches are capable of yielding with respect to their supporting arms to permit them to pass over'the handles 244, 246 associated with the 2,421,0rsa

bottom of the container arranged to open upon impact therewith by a flare after it is released by the retraction of said arms to permit egress of the flare from the container, means for retracting said arms, springs normally maintaining said doors closed, means cooperating with said supporting arms to hold the flares rigidly in the container, said means including retractable arms engageablewith the flares opposite to the points of engagement with the supporting arms, and means urging the arms engageable with the lowermost flare downwardly forcibly to eject the flare upon retraction of the associated supporting arms.

3. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container, a plurality of vertically spaced arms for supporting a plurality of flares in the container in horizontal superposed relation, a pair of doors at the bottom of the container arranged to open upon impact therewith by a flare after it is released by the retraction of said arms to permit egress of the flare from the container, means for retracting said arms, springs normally maintaining said doors closed, means cooperating with said supporting arms to hold the flares rigidly in the container, said means including retractable arms engageable with the flares opposite to the points of engagement with the supporting arms, means urging the arms engageable with the lowermost flare downwardly forcibly to eject the flare upon retraction of the associated supporting arms, and means rendering said last named means ineffective durin loading of the container.

a. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container, a plurality of vertically spaced arms for supporting a plurality of flares in the container in horizontal superposed relation, means for retracting said arms sequentially thereby to permit dropping of the flares through the bottomof the container, means for temporarily supporting the flares in the container during-the loading operation, and means for retracting said temporary supporting means and resetting the supporting arms after the loading of the container has been completed.

5. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container, a plurality of vertically spaced arms for supporting a plurality of flares in the container in horizontal superposed relation, means normally urging said arms into retracted positions, latches assoziated with said arms for holding the arms in flare-supporting positions, a latch release bar arranged sequentially to release said latches thereby to permit retraction of the supporting arms sequentially, a plurality of arms arranged to support the flares in the container during the loading operation, and single means for returning the first named supporting arms into operative positions, retracting said last named arms, and returning the latch release bar into initial position.

6. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container having a central vertical wall dividing said container'into'two flare compartments in each of which may be supported a plurality of flares in horizontal superposed relation, flare-supporting arms carried by said central wall, means for re tracting said arms in a predetermined sequence to permit release of the flares from the magazine, and a plurality of flare-engaging members carried by the outer walls of the container for holding the flares rigidly therein.

7. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container having a central vertical wall dividing the container into two compartments arranged to support a plurality of flares in horizontal superposed relation, a plurality of flare-supporting arms carried by said central wall, means retracting said arms in a predetermined sequence to permit release of the flares from the magazine, each of said compartments having an egress opening in the bottom thereof, doors normally closing said openings and being arranged to open upon impact therewith by a flare in response to its "release by retraction of the associated supporting arms, means carried by the outer walls of the container engageable with the upper surfaces of the flares for holding them rigidly within the compartments, said means including pivoted arms and springs acting thereon urging the arms downwardly thereby forcibly to eject the lowermost flares from the container upon retraction ofthe supporting arms.

f 8. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container having a pair of vertical walls arranged to hold between them a plurality of flares in horizontal superposed relation, a pair of flare-supporting arms carried by one of said walls, a plurality of temporary supporting arms carried by said wall and arranged to hold the flares within the container during loading thereof, means carried by said wall for sequentially retracting the first named flare-supporting arms, and means in said wall for moving the temporary supporting arms into operative positions following the emptying of the magazine and for subsequently retracting the temporary supporting arms and returning the first named supporting arms into flare-supporting positions.

9. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container having a pair of spaced vert cal walls arranged toihold between them a plurality of flares in horizontal superposed relation, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal shafts carried by one of said walls, flare-supporting arms carried by said shafts, springs acting on said shafts to retract the flare-supporting arms, latches carried by said shafts, means carried by said one of said walls for holding said latches in positions to lock the shafts with the flare-supporting arms in operative positions, a plurality of temporary flare-supporting arms carried by said one of said walls, mechanism for sequentially releasing said latches thereby to permit sequential release of the flares from the container, and means carried by said one of said walls for moving said temporary supporting arms into operative positions to permit loading of the container and for subsequently moving said first supporting arms into operative positions, retracting the temporary supporting arms and returning said latch release mechanism into initial position.

10. In an aircraft flare magazine, meansfor supporting a plurality of flares therein, means urging said supporting means to inoperative positions, latches movable with said supporting 'means, a movable abutment cooperating with each latch for locking the associatedsupporting means in operative position, and a movable bar having a plurality of shoulders engageable with said abutments for sequentially moving the abut ments out of engagement with said latchesto permit sequential movement of the supporting means to inoperative positions.

11. In an aircraft flare magazine, a plurality of vertically disposed flare-supporting arms, hOIlzontally extending shafts carrying said arms, springs acting on said shafts to move the arms to inoperative positions, latches carried by said shafts, vertically slidable blocks cooperating with said latches to hold the shafts with the flarephenom ill supporting :arms in supporting positions, and "a verticallymovahle bar having a' plurality'OIsHmiI- idersengageable sequentiallvwith saidblocksupon vertical :movement .o-f the IJbar for t'moving the lliloks out of engagement with said latchesto permit sequential .m'ovement (if .the supporting arms,toiinoperativefpositions'whereupontheflares harexleased one at .a timeifrom' the'magaz'ine.

112.1n2an aircraft flare magazine a plurality Lof vertically disposed'flareesupportingarmskhorilzoritally extending shafts carrying said :arms, springs. acting :on .said shafts .to move the arms lto inoperative positions, :latches carried by :said shafts, vertically.slidableblotzks cooperating with saidllathes "to hold the shaftswiththe flaresupporting arms insupportingm'ositions'a verticallymovablebar having a plurality ofs'houlders oengageable sequentially with said blocks upon vertical movement of the bar for moving the lhlocks out .of engagement with said latchesto perniitsequeritiail movement of the :supporting arms '.to inoperative positions whereupon the "flares iaremeleased lone atv a" time -frhm the magaizine, -and other means for iholding "the shafts avith Lthe -arms in flare-supporting ,positions to apermitireturn of the blocks 'andthe vertically imovable lbar to' initial positions.

ln an aircraft Z'fiare magazine, a plurality of vertically Tdisposed flare-supporting arms, Lhorizontalllv extending shafts carryin,g's'aid arms, springs. acting on saidshaftsi to move thearrnsto inoperative positions, latches 'carried iby "said tshafts,verticallyslidable blocks cooperating with lsaidllatches -to hold lthe .shafts with "the flare- .supporting arms in supporting positions, .a vertically movable barlh'avin aplurality o'f shoulders rengageabletsequentially with said blocks u'pon :vertical imovement or the bar for moving '.'the ilolocks out at engagement with rsaidllatches to per- .uni-tisequentialimovement .of the. supportingarms .t nnoperativepositions whereupon the flares are lreleased one at ..a Ltime from the magazine, .'a -solenoid and means operate'd'lby the solenoid .in response tolrepeated energizations thereof "for movinglthe-ibanin a=step'.by. step. manner tot-cause successivereleasehftheiflares.

J14. .Jn an aircraftiflare .magazine, a tcontainer having a ivertical central ipartition itherein formfling aipairof flare compartmentsjfor containing flares in horizontal superposed relation, ,a ,pmrality iofspairs of horizontal vertically Spaced .shattsicarriedby said partition, arms carried'by :saidrsha'itsJonsnppotting :the .flares Within the compartments, a vertically movable bar carried 'bysaid central partition, means ."for "imparting ;'15.2Inan ;aircraft. ilarei magazine, a'container zdividedeb-yfla central vvertical partition into iaipair iefzflare compartmentsiin each of "which ;a ji lu- *'ralityofhorizontally-'disposed fiaresmay' besup- ,iported superposed relationship, a plurality of "pairs of horizontally extending shafts c arried' by said partition in vertically spaced relationship, "fiare=supporting arms carried by saidsha'fts for holding the flares within the compartments, springs acting on saidshafts to withdraw the supporting arms "from engagementwith the=flares, latches carried by said shafts, vertically "mov- 'a'hle "blocks engageable with said'latchesto'hold 'the armsin operative positions, a vertically-mov- "able bar carried "by 'saiol' partition and having a plurality "of "shoulders for lifting the 'blocks "sequentially out of engagement with the latches in'respo'nse to vertical movements ofthe' bar, and means for-imparting step by'step movement to *said'barthereby tolift the blocks successivelyout (if-engagement With-the latches whereupon the 'ilares'are released in 'a predetermined sequence "fromthemagazine.

'16. In an aircraft flare magazine, a container divided by-a central ver'tical'partition into a pair of liarecornpartments'in eachof which a plurality (if horizontally disposed fiaresmay be supported in superposed relationship, *a plurality of pairs of horizontally'extending shafts carried by said *partit-i'on-in vertically spaced relationship, flaresupporting arms carried by said 'shafts for holding theflares Within-thecompartments, springs acting onsaid shafts to with'drawthe supporting arms hom-engagement withthe'flares, latches carried 'hy'sai dshafts; vertically movahle' blocks engageable with saidlatCheSt'O' hold thearms in operative positionsga vertically movable bar carried "by said partition and having :a plurality "of shoulders 'forlifting theIolocks-sequentially out of engagement with the latches in response to vertical movements of the bar, a solenoid, and means connecting' saiil solen'oid to said bar to move the bar in"a=step by s'tepmannerin response 'to' successive energizeitionsof "the solenoid therebyto-1ift thedo'locks successively out of engagement with "the latches whereupon -the flares are released. in *a predetermined *sequen'ce from the magazine.

JOSEPH 'C. *CANTLEY.

"REFERENCES fGITED The "following references are of "record :in the file of this patent:

:rSiIiAI'ES :PATENTS "Number Name 7 Date 50 1,741,195 "li'orribardo De'c. 31, I929 72,0713594 "Trimba h '-Fb.-23, 1937 26951958 Allen Oct. 1 9, 1937 FQREIGN :PATENTS 7 0 Nlllfibfll Country Date "194E533 Switzei-land -JMarflG, 1938 41E884 =GreatBi-itain Sept. 24, 1934 3154;666

I GreatI'Britain (Jan 22, 71926 

